Geared escapement device



Filed March 28, 1966 S y mm m EH N VS wk N 0 IE J T N u r M .u A u a, Em m 4 M#-/ Z x 2 I I! 9 1 2 w United States Patent;

3,393,909 GEAREID ESCAPEMENT DEVICE Athclstan F. Spillraus, Mound,Minn., assignor to Experimentoy Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporationof Minnesota Filed Mar. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 537,999 Claims. (Cl. 272-31)This invention pertains to amusement devices. More particularly, itpertains to a geared escapement which is motivated by potential energyand which effects incremental controlled conversion of that energy intokinetic energy by utilizing centrifugal force as a control parameter.

It is an object of this invention to provide an amusement device whichproduces whirling and spinning visual effects as it slowly descends acord or filament.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which movesdown a cord or filament incrementally at a fixed rate of descent, whichrate may be predetermined in the design of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in effect, a gravityoperated motor the output of which is used to produce centrifugaleffects.

Other objects of the invention are to provide amusement devices of thecharacter described which are rugged in construction, economical toproduce, highly efficient in operation, have an indefinite life andrequire no outside energy source such as a battery.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals designate like parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a fragmentary elevation of an embodiment of theinvention, partly in section.

FIGURE 2 represents a section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE1.

The apparatus of the invention, generally characterized by the number 5,as shown in FIGURE 1, is supported by a tensioned cord or filament 8.The cord may be hung from an overhead supporting member 10 (e.g. aceiling) with a hook-eye 9 and is tensioned as 'by a weight 11, whichmay be spherical. Obviously, cord 8 should have a tensile strengthsufficient to support the weight and apparatus 5 and have a diameter andother characteristics (e.g. coefficient of friction) suitably correlatedto requirements of and the various dimensions and clearances of theapparatus. Weight 11, in addition to tensioning cord 8, serves as a stopand limits the descent of apparatus 5 down cord 8.

Apparatus 5 includes a gear housing, generally 6, which has side walls6a and 6b, a bottom 60 and a top 6d. As shown in FIGURE 1, this housingis generally rectangular in cross-section but can assume any form whichwill conveniently enclose gears and provide journal supports. Thehousing further includes at least one radially-extending cantileveredarm 7 provided with a dependent integral stop portion such as 7a and 7b.Although in the instant embodiment two such arms 7 are shown, this isintended to be a non-limiting exemplification. The radial extension ofarms 7 are preferably equal with respect to the vertical center line ofthe apparatus.

The gearing system, which is provided within housing 6, includes ahorizontal drive shaft 14 which is suitably journaled into side walls onand 6b for rotation with respect thereto as with trunnions 15. Ifdesired, friction may be further reduced by the provision of suitablebearings. Fixedly mounted on shaft 14 are a drive sheave 12 and a ringgear 17. Top 6d is provided with a cord aperture 13 which is in generalvertical alignment with the groove in sheave 12. Ring gear 17 drives aspur gear 18 which is fixedly mounted on a hollow output shaft 19. Oneend of output shaft 19 is journaled for rotation in a bracket 20, whichis affixed to the housing 6 as, for instance, to side wall 61). Theother end of shaft 19 passes through bottom 60 with respect to which itrotates, and is provided with an upper stop 21 and a lower stop 22(which may conveniently be incorporated in a bushing). Consideration ofthe structure which has been described will indicate that rotation ofdrive sheave 12 causes proportional rotation of output shaft 19.

At least one horizontal pole, generally 25, is fixedly mounted on thatend of shaft 19 which protrudes through bottom 6c. Mounting may beaccomplished as with a fixed sleeve 16 from which there are cantileveredone or more poles 25. Each pole may conveniently be provided with anoffset 25a, a straight radially extending intermediate portion 25b and aterminal eye 250. In the embodiments shown, the distance from the centerline of shaft 19 to offset 25a is slightly greater than the radius ofweight 11 so that, at the lower limit of descent of apparatus 5 on cord8, there is no contact between pole 25 and weight 11. Further, as willbe apparent from FIGURE 1, the radial extension of the pole 25 is lessthan the radial extension of cantilevered arms 7. As with the arms 7,one or more poles may be: provided. In the embodiment shown, two suchpoles are provided for balance and to minimize torquing tendencies ofsleeve 16 on shaft 19.

One or more of the terminal eyes 25c are provided with a thread 27 atthe distal end which is mounted a pith ball 29 or some other equivalentrelatively light weight.

The cooperation which exists between cord 8 and the apparatus 5 is bestexplained with reference to FIGURE 3. Cord 8 is threaded through thehollow interior of shaft 19 and is looped one or more times aroundsheave 12 before passing out of housing 6 through aperture 13. The topof shaft 19 may be provided with an interior bevel 23 to minimizefriction. When the full weight of apparatus 5 is hung on cord 8 the cordfrictionally engages sheave 12 and the potential energy of the apparatusis fully utilized to rotate shaft 14. In order to raise apparatus 5 withrespect to cord 8, it is only necessary to relieve the tension in thecord, as by lifting weight 11, whereupon friction between the cord andthe sheave is reduced so that the apparatus can be slid upward withrespect to the cord without turning sheave 12.

The effect produced by the descent of apparatus 5 with respect to cord 8can be illustrated with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2. Assume that thecord 8, as shown in FIGURE 1, is tensioned and in frictional engagementwith sheave 12 and that thread 27 is as shown on the left side ofFIGURE 1. The potential energy cannot be released because rotation ofsheave 12, shaft 14, shaft 19, and pole assembly 25 is prevented becausethread 27 is wound about stop 7a. However, upon the passage of time,pith ball 29 will drop on stop 7a and thread 27 will completely unwind.Once thread 27 is disengaged from stop 7a, so that it hangssubstantially vertically downward from terminal eye 250, there is nolonger anything to prevent rotation of shaft 14. Rotation of shaft .14ensues and causes the pole 25 to move in the direction indicated by thearcuate arrow in FIGURE 2. As shown in phantom, in FIGURE 2, when thearm portion 25b is intermediate stops 7!; and 7b, pith ball 29 swingsoutward by virtue of centrifugal force to describe a circle having aradius, with respect to shaft 19, which is greater than the radius ofstop 7b with respect thereto. Consequently, thread 27 strikes stop 7band the centrifugal force of 3 pith ball 29 causes the thread to winditself about stop 7b as shown in phantom in FIGURES 1 and 2. Theunwinding action described initially with respect to stop 7a thereuponensues and the cycle is repeated for each 180 of rotation of pole 25.

In the embodiment shown, only one of the poles 25 is provided with athread and a pith ball. Also, as stated above, two stops 7a and 7b areprovided. Movement therefore occurs in 180 increments. The variationswhich are possible are obvious. It is possible to have the winding andunwinding action occur once for every revolution of pole 25 (e.g. usinga single arm) or once in each quadrant (e.g. using four arms).Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved with a plurality of stopsand a single weighted thread or with a plurality of weighted threads anda single stop.

Therefore, in view of the variations and modifications which can be madeto the invention disclosed herein and in further view of othermodifications, which will doubtless become evident to others skilled inthe art dependent upon their individual preferences and particularneeds, I claim all such modifications and variations of my invention, asdisclosed herein, insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit andscope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement device comprising a vertically extending elongatedflexible member; means placing said member in tension; an apparatusmounted on and supported by said member and adapted to descendthereupon, said apparatus including an escapement which only permitsdescent of said apparatus on said member in fixed increments of length.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said escapement is regulated bycentrifugal force.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said escapement includes an arm; athread dependent from said arm; a weight on said thread; means forrotating said arm so as to cause said thread to extend radially inresponse to centrifugal force, and a stop in the path of travel of saidthread about which said thread first winds and then unwinds, downwardmotion of said apparatus on said elongated member ceasing as long assaid thread is wound about said stop.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a housingthrough which said flexible member passes; a sheave within said housingin frictional driving engagement with said flexible member; a gear trainwithin said housing driven by said sheave; an output shaft driven bysaid gear train and extending outside said housing; at least oneradially extending pole mounted on said shaft and rotating therewith; athread dependent from the distal end of said pole; a weight mounted onsaid thread, rotation of said shaft causing said thread to extendradially from the end of said pole in response to centrifugal force; atleast one stop mounted on said housing including a portion positioned inthe extended radial path of travel of said thread, said thread uponcontacting said stop portion first winding about it and then unwindingfrom it; motion of said gear train and progress of said apparatus downsaid flexible member being halted so long as said thread is wound aboutsaid stop.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 which includes a plurality of stops.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 which includes a plurality of poles at leastone of which is provided with a weighted thread.

'7. The apparatus of claim 6 which includes a plurality of stops.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said output shaft is hollow andwherein said flexible member passes out of said housing through the coreof said shaft.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein the means for placing said elongatedmember in tension is a weight hung at the bottom thereof, said weightbeing shaped to limit the extent of travel of said apparatus down saidmember.

10. The device of claim 4 wherein said elongated member is a cord.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,930 1/1917 Frederick 272-311,814,105 7/1931 Wolf 272-31 2,518,840 8/1950 Funstall 46132 3,261,6047/1966 Clark 46-47 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING ELONGATEDFLEXIBLE MEMBER; MEANS PLACING SAID MEMBERS IN TENSION; AN APPARATUSMOUNTED ON AND SUPPORTED BY SAID MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO DESCEND THEREUPONSAID APPARATUS INCLUDING AN ESCAPEMENT WHICH ONLY PERMITS DECENT OF SAIDAPPARATUS ON SAID MEMBER IN FIXED INCREMENTS OF LENGTH.